born2beS12

911, Panamera, and Boxster are all DIFFERENT models offered by Porsche, same as Ferrari with the 812, 488 and the LaFerrari. None of them make a FE and ME version of the same model. Porsche's ME is the CarreraGT, the 911 line are all RE. The Boxster is RE also but a different chassis all together. Same with Ferrari, the 812 is FE and the 488 is ME.
GM not only makes different models already but different brands with different models(Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Chevy). So they already do compete against themselves theoretically Therefore IF Chevy comes out with a ME car it "should" carry a completely different model name and would share as much in common with the corvette as the camaro does currently.

bebezote

bingo!

Mikec7z

Perhaps that is where you aren't listening. Its going to be called a zora. not a corvette. It is a different model. Re read the thread, this is what i have been explaining.

tooold2race

Please be careful who you accept and quote as a 'pricing' expert. I'm relatively certain that there are a whole bunch of Corvette, Chevrolet and GM Marketing/Pricing professionals still working on the exact price positioning of the ME. There are a tremendous number of factors that influence price positioning and only one of them is 'cost'. Quite frankly, 'cost' is only used to determine potential profit over the total production run at various volume increments. Be assured, it isn't the only factor used to determine the viability of a product..... especially a high visibility, low production niche offering like a Corvette.

bebezote

this is on point....one million percent.

C7nut

I also agree. Times have changed with plenty of alternatives in the marketplace. . I have friends who love the look of the C7 but given a choice would rather own a fully loaded Silverado or a Denali SUV then a car like mine. FE or ME, its a matter of limitations. Some folks I know can't fit inside comfortably. Some love the car but want a softer ride or require more then two seats or more cargo space. Not everyone who likes the look of a corvette are interested in cornering ability or track performance. .. They simply want a eye catching toy that looks great, rides good to drive around and enjoy... .

sunsalem

How true.



Stop making sense...this is the internet.

elegant

elegant

Basil2000

I will believe there is a ME when i can order one. Until then i am going to enjoy driving my C7Z and enjoy reading everyone’s speculations. Stingray, grand sport,z06, zr1 and possible ME. Fun time to be a fan of corvettes

KnightDriveTV

"The market isn't big enough"? According to what?

If you base price the Mid Engine (85k-95k car alongside Z06), with the Z06 being slightly faster, widebody, more aggressive, etc. and the ME being the base "LT2" 480-510hp/DCT and an entirely different handling dynamic, not only do you force buyers to make a choice, you offer two entirely different cars to the market. At 85k you definitely make a case for Cayman buyers, as well as AMG GT, 911 buyers, etc who expect to pay more, but want more exotic or Porsche handling/feel.

The Z06's performance envelope can't be matched at 80k and the base price of the ME will likely force dedicated brand buyers up to the 100k range or slightly beyond. You still have an entire segment of buyers who don't want to spend 100k and are happy and willing to buy a base Stingray and enjoy roof off with 465hp or 480hp-510 were it an LT2.

The ME offers another platform to share costs with, making the possibilities for the front engine platform even better, not worse. Some of your dedicated Corvette buyers will switch over to the new Mid Engine of course, but some won't. The avg demo for Corvette is pretty old and a lot of guys will be plenty content with a 65k-70k (well equipped) Stingray vs a 95k-110k mid engine car.

The point here is to expand the brand in terms of market reach, as well as cost. Fact is, the Corvette is one of GM's most profitable vehicles, out the door. You don't take that and blow it up for an entirely different car...I can't make the case to myself on that one. The spaceframe nature of the Corvette, the stir friction welded members on the hydroformed frame...it offers incredible flexibility and ease of assembly...there is no reason you can't build both side by side...and we know they WILL because they will sell C7 and be building this Mid Engine car side by side...so why quit?

2016 there were just over 40k Corvettes produced. You lose some buyers of the front engine to the Mid Engine car, but you bring in new buyers with it also. C7's first year saw a HUGE sector of first time owners...they were younger and by all indicators, C7's radical design risks paid off. If you get Corvette to selling 50k units per year, spread across a HUGE spread of options (potentially 40+ buyer options combing ME/FE/coupe/vert/interior trims)...sharing much of the engineering and drivetrain across not only Corvette but other sectors of GM...I think that'd be ok.

Get to 2020 and the front engine platform is getting CHEAP to produce. You do a refresh on that car but keep the core...that's money right there. Refresh is just a tweak of the wheelbase, tweak of the aerodynamics, update some lighting, new dash, use the ME's new LT2, etc....that's all win. Getting that car for 60k will be bargain. What people need to realize is, the higher Corvette pushes, the better the very BOTTOM car becomes. Look at the Mclaren 570S for your proof. I think people who study other brands, within GM, have taken some notes from Mclaren for sure because Mclaren is doing some things very right, and they did so very quickly.

MitchAlsup

Boxster and Cayman are both ME on nearly the same chassis.

MitchAlsup

On the other hand, if you base price the ME at $65 stripped 500 HP DCT,... your whole argument disappears.

The base ME is not targeted at Z06 performance, simply a step forward with a bit more HP and a bunch of weight moved towards the rear wheels.

But base ME is a $65K car ! not a $95K car.

What makes you think they will quit?

There is all kinds of good reasons to make the ME alongside the FE using all the advanced stuff GM has under the roof at BG.

LIStingray

Corvette has sold 50,000 units in a year exactly 1x - in the C3 generation, oh, almost 30 years ago.
The only way GM is going to sell 50,000 units of a V8 powered model is if you rebadge the Tahoe as a Corvette.
The market for sports cars continues to drop - if you add up all the 2 seat sports cars that cost most than $50,000 sold in the US for MY 2018, it won't be much more than 50,000 units (which includes 22,000 C7's, 16,000 Porsches (911, 718 & 918), 4,000 F-Types, 1,500 AMG-GT's, 1,300 488's & F12's, 1,000 Lamborghinis, 900 Maclarens, 700 R8's, 500 Alfa 4C's, 400 NSX's, 250 Ford GT's and 4 LFA's).

KnightDriveTV

Time will tell...

KnightDriveTV

The thing you're not looking at is, modern "sports cars" are being built as SUV's. The modular base of automobiles are starting to span various platforms. SUV's and coupes will be built on the same developed core unibody infrastructure...BMW is doing it, other brands are "ahead" of GM quite frankly. GM's new modular design tool kit approach is starting with Corvettes brand, and Cadillac is following closely behind.

So, quite frankly, your statement of re-badging Tahoe's as Corvettes isn't too far from reality, at the current state of engineering for some brands.

Your example of selling 50k Corvettes is based upon 30yrs ago...correct...as is your thinking though. Todays approach to mass manufacturing of automobiles is nothing like 30 or 40yrs ago...the market isn't the same, the brands aren't the same...everything has changed. Taking production of Corvette from 40k to 50k would require Corvette to push into another segment...either lower, or higher...or frankly just different, using the core architecture. They maximized what they can do in the segment they exist in...that's all there is to it.

Not here to debate, just adding my opinion. We'll all know the facts this time next year...so be it. I've been wrong in my life...I'm ok being wrong again if that's the case. All I'm saying is, I look at the evidence, follow the market very closely and I've got a lot of years of automotive market experience to back it up. By my calculations, given the "outsider" analysis and not knowing GM's internal figures/infrastructure/etc, I say you expand Corvette if you can, not replace it. I say it's a homerun to sell both FE/ME and make Corvette a 55k-155k+ product solid, versus 65k-75k entry fee to 145k which is what many here are proposing....which starts to take out a LOT of the base demo.

Again...just my opinion, don't have the time to have a forum war...lol.

OnPoint

Bowling Green is limited to 33k/year going forward. elegant, IIRC, posted the plant manager explaining the change in production unit capability.

Mikec7z

ME car does not carry golf clubs. Not Suitcases.

There will be a buyer who needs the storage. Front engine cars will continue to have a purpose.

Chevy will leave it up to the consumer to decide if one or the other goes extinct. If both sell evenly, chevy will produce both. if one sells 1/3 the units, chevy would still keep them. Only if one falls behind to 1/4 or less, will they remove one or the other from the equation.

Public votes. Not even chevy knows what they are doing, they are leaving it up to us.

For that reason, the front engine will not be discontinued anytime soon.

Front engines are also safer... the engine is attacking the object you hit instead of squeezing you against the object from behind. There is no perfect vehicle, its all tradeoffs.

There will be a dohc front engine vette.

CorvetteBrent

The Boxster is ME. not RE.

Mike Mercury

exactly.

And the "Zora" won't be a C8 model; it will be the beginning of the "Z1" designation.

When the facts are finally played-out... some here will eat crow (or come up with a litany of lame excuses).